Author: Admin01

At a recent gathering, a client of mine found herself in a familiar social moment. Someone leaned in, smiled, and asked the question many women quietly dread in retirement:

“So… what do you do?”

She paused.

Not because she lacked an answer – but because none of the old ones quite fit anymore.

This is a woman who had a successful career. She led teams. Made decisions that mattered. Built a reputation over decades.

But now?

Without the title, without the structure, the answer felt… less clear.

Not empty. Not diminished.

Just undefined.

And that moment – more than any financial concern – sparked a question she hadn’t fully faced yet:

“Should I go back to work?”

A Growing Reality for Women in Their 60s

In my retirement and career transition coaching practice, this question comes up more often than you might think.

Women in their 60s aren’t “done.” Far from it.

They’re experienced, capable, and often still deeply motivated to contribute. But the desire to work again isn’t usually about necessity alone.

It’s about:

• Identity
• Engagement
• Relevance
• Connection

And sometimes, simply having a satisfying answer to that question:

“What do you do?”

But before jumping back in, it’s worth pausing to reflect. Because going back to work now isn’t about repeating the past. It’s about designing something that fits who you are today.

So, I’ve put together a few questions that might be helpful moving forward.

1. What Do You Want to Keep Using?

Many women start with:

“What should I do next?”

A better question is:

“What parts of my experience do I still enjoy using?”

After decades of work, you’ve earned the right to be selective. Maybe you loved:

• Mentoring others
• Solving complex problems
• Building relationships
• Leading – but not managing

The most successful late-career transitions aren’t reinventions.

They’re refinements.

You’re not starting over – you’re choosing what stays.

2. Where Does Your Experience Solve a Current Problem?

Your experience is valuable – but only if it connects to a present-day need.

This is where many women get stuck. They look backward at what they’ve done, rather than outward at where they’re needed.

Ask yourself:

• Who is struggling with something I’ve already mastered?
• Where could my judgment prevent costly mistakes?
• Who would benefit from what I know – right now?

This is the shift: From experience as history to experience as a solution. And that shift is what opens doors.

3. Do You Want a Job – or a Different Way to Work?

This is where you give yourself permission to rethink everything. Because returning to a traditional full-time job may not be what you actually want.

You might be drawn instead to:

• Consulting or project-based work
• Advisory or board roles
• Mentoring or coaching
• Starting something small and flexible

The real question isn’t:

“Where can I get hired?”

It’s:

“What kind of work structure fits my life now?”

Your time, energy, and priorities have changed.

Your work should reflect that.

4. What Are You Ready to Let Go Of?

This is often the most difficult step – and the most important. To move forward, something has to be released. It might be:

• A title that once defined you,
• The need to be seen a certain way,
• Work that no longer energizes you,
• The expectation that success must look like it used to.

Letting go isn’t about loss. It’s about making space. Because without that space, it’s easy to recreate your old life instead of designing a new one.

5. Are You Waiting for Clarity – or Willing to Create It?

Many women wait until they feel “clear” before taking action. But clarity rarely comes first.

At this stage of life, clarity is created through movement:

• Conversations with people doing interesting work.
• Trying something small before committing fully.
• Saying yes before you feel 100% ready.

Think of it as experimenting – not deciding.

Momentum builds insight. Not the other way around.

A Final Thought

Going back to work in your 60s isn’t about proving anything. It’s about aligning your experience with what matters to you now. You don’t need a 10-year plan. You don’t need the perfect answer.

You simply need a direction that feels:

• Useful
• Interesting
• True to who you are today.

That’s more than enough to begin.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you been thinking about starting a work-related engagement? Would it be a job, a small project or something else?

Many women over 60 are surprised by how emotionally intense relationships with their adult children can still feel.

After decades of parenting, you might expect things to feel easier. More settled. Instead, many mothers describe something very different:

• Conversations that spiral unexpectedly.
• Emotional reactions that feel disproportionate.
• Lingering tension that doesn’t fully resolve.

One of the main reasons for this is something rarely discussed: emotional cycles.

Emotional Cycles

These cycles often follow a predictable pattern:

• A conversation or interaction
• An emotional trigger
• Internal processing (overthinking, self-blame)
• An attempt to repair or reconnect
• Temporary relief… followed by repetition

Understanding this cycle is the first step toward changing it. The issue is not simply what is being said. It’s how you are positioned emotionally within the relationship.

Many mothers continue to feel responsible for maintaining harmony, even when their children are adults.

This can lead to:

• Over-apologizing
• Over-explaining
• Difficulty setting limits
• Emotional exhaustion

Breaking the cycle doesn’t require cutting off the relationship or becoming distant. Instead, it involves developing emotional steadiness.

This includes:

• Pausing before responding,
• Recognizing triggers,
• Setting internal boundaries,
• Letting go of outcomes you cannot control.

Redefining Your Role

It also involves redefining your role. You are no longer managing your child’s life. You are relating to another adult.

And adult relationships require mutual responsibility. If you are consistently doing the emotional work for both sides, the imbalance will continue. Healthy boundaries help restore that balance. They are not about punishment or withdrawal.

They are about clarity:

• What you will engage with,
• What you will step back from,
• What is yours to carry – and what is not.

Many women find that as they begin to shift their responses, the emotional intensity of interactions decreases.

Not always immediately. But gradually. Because they are no longer reinforcing the same cycle.

If you recognize yourself in this pattern, you’re not alone – and you’re not stuck.

With awareness and small, intentional changes, it is possible to experience more peace in these relationships.

A helpful place to begin is 5 Truths to Help You Let Go with Love.

Let’s Discuss:

Have you noticed a pattern in conflicts with your adult child? What tends to repeat?

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Originally posted at: Sutton Stracke’s Season 15 Reunion Look

Heart pounding, adrenaline flowing, anticipation peaking. Is that really what adventure means? Does it have to be physically extreme to qualify? If it isn’t seeing penguins in Antarctica, swimming with manta rays in Belize, or climbing Machu Picchu, does it still count?

We’re constantly surrounded by marketing for wild and dramatic adventures. Many are physically demanding or extremely expensive. We’re encouraged to create bucket lists, for those supposedly essential things we must do before we die.

But adventure doesn’t have to be extreme, expensive, or reserved for a select few. It doesn’t need to involve risk, endurance, or a passport full of stamps. Adventure can simply be something that sparks curiosity, creates enjoyment, or offers a new perspective.

After 60, our definition of adventure often shifts. It becomes less about intensity and more about experience. Less about impressing others and more about what feels meaningful to us. Here are five ways adventure can look different.

1. Adventure Doesn’t Have to Be Far Away

Adventure can happen anywhere, even in your own neighbourhood. Exploring a new walking route, visiting a local market, joining a craft group, or taking a short trip to a nearby town, can all feel like an adventure.

Distance doesn’t determine the value of the experience. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries happen close to home. When we stop waiting for a big trip and begin noticing what’s around us, everyday life starts to feel richer.

2. Travel Becomes More Focused

Travel used to mean packing in as much as possible. A trip to Las Vegas included the Grand Canyon, Palm Springs, and anything else within driving distance. The goal was to see everything while you were there.

Over time, travel often becomes more intentional. It’s about choosing one place and experiencing it fully. You might go to Las Vegas and simply enjoy the energy, the shows, the people-watching, and the unexpected moments. The Grand Canyon can wait for another trip.

Doing less doesn’t make the experience smaller. It often makes it richer. When you’re not rushing, you notice more. Conversations happen. Small discoveries appear. The experience becomes the adventure, rather than a checklist.

3. Adventure Doesn’t Have to Be Extreme to Be Real

When we’re younger, adventure is often associated with adrenaline, like mountain climbing, skydiving, or pushing physical limits. But adventure later in life doesn’t have to look like that. It can still be physical, just in a more sustainable way.

Walking part of a long trail, like a section of the Appalachian Trail or the Camino de Santiago, can be an adventure in itself. You don’t have to complete the entire distance. You might walk shorter stretches, take your time, or return to the same path regularly. The experience becomes about being outdoors, noticing the landscape, and enjoying movement without pressure.

Adventure becomes less about endurance and more about enjoyment. It’s still active, still engaging, but shaped to fit where you are now.

4. Small Experiences Start to Feel Like Adventures

Adventure doesn’t always require travel. Sometimes it’s trying a new food, attending a local festival, or striking up a conversation with someone new. These moments may seem small, but they can add variety and interest to everyday life.

There’s also a quiet excitement in learning something new: a language, a craft, or even a new way of cooking. These experiences may not look dramatic, but they expand our world in meaningful ways. Over time, these small adventures can be just as memorable as larger ones.

5. Adventure Becomes Personal, Not Impressive

Adventure becomes less about checking items off a bucket list and more about doing what genuinely interests you. You may choose activities that others find ordinary, but if they bring you satisfaction, that’s enough.

You might explore alone, or share the experience with a friend. You may not even talk about it afterward. There’s no need to impress anyone or seek approval. The value lies in the experience itself.

Adventure isn’t the Same for Everyone

What feels exciting to one person may seem quiet or even unremarkable to another. And that’s perfectly fine. Adventure becomes personal. It’s shaped by our interests, our pace, and our curiosity.

Look out your window. Visit a new part of town. Attend a seminar. Join a group. Try something you’ve never done before. The possibilities are endless.

It just might be the start of a new adventure.

Click for free access to my Substack, Retired Way Out There, where I publish a bi-monthly newsletter and provide handouts.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What does adventure mean to you? Have you always connected it to adrenaline, fast-pace and danger? What adventures have you been on recently or are planning to experience this year?